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Loving the Convert This Mitzvah So Important, That in Parashas Eikev the Verse Instructs Us to “Love the Ger” (Devarim It Should Occur More Than Any 10:19)

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Loving the Convert This Mitzvah So Important, That in Parashas Eikev the Verse Instructs Us to “Love the Ger” (Devarim It Should Occur More Than Any 10:19) The Institute for Dayanim And under the auspices of Beis Horaah in memory of Baruch and Bracha Gross Eikev 5777 371 Dear Reader, This week’s article discusses the mitzvah to love the convert. Our article this week focusses What is the nature of this love, and how is it distinct from the on the obligation to love the ger. general obligation to love our fellow Jew? Is there a mitzvah to Rabbi Eliezer points out (Bava accept converts, based on this special love? And does our love Metiza 59) that this obligation, of a convert give him precedence in charity donations and other whether in the positive form social matters? We will address these questions, and more, in of loving the ger or in the this week’s article. negative form of avoiding his This week’s Q & A addresses the question of wearing one’s tzitzis hurt and injury, is mentioned out. in the Torah more times than any other mitzvah, including Shabbos and idolatry. Why is Loving the Convert this mitzvah so important, that In Parashas Eikev the verse instructs us to “love the ger” (Devarim it should occur more than any 10:19). This is understood as reference to the convert to other? Judaism: Beyond the general instruction to love all fellow Jews, Although the Sages understand the instruction as referring to we have a special obligation to love the convert. the religious convert – one Indeed, this is not the only place in the Torah where the special who joins the Jewish faith from relationship with the convert is noted. In thirty-six instances the outside – commentators point Torah notes the obligation to love the convert or to refrain from out that the simple meaning of the verse refers to a stranger. causing him any anguish or pain (see Bava Metzia 59b). We are instructed to love This seems to be difficult. If we are in any case instructed to love the stranger, just as we were our fellow-Jew—as the Torah states, “love your fellow-Jew as strangers in the land of Egypt. yourself” (Vayikra 19:18)—why is there a need to instruct us Sefer Ha-Chinuch (431) highlights this meaning: “We to love the convert? Is the instruction not redundant, since after must learn from this precious conversion the convert is as much a Jew as any other? mitzvah to pity those who are Commentaries give different answers to this question. The Ibn strangers in the land… as we see that the Torah obligates us Ezra explains it is because a convert generally has a weaker social to have compassion on those status. This makes him more vulnerable to the pitfalls inherent to who require our assistance. any society, and there is therefore a need to reinforce our care With these dispositions we for him. The Sefer Hachinuch (431) also states that the reason the Torah adds a specific prohibition is the difficulty encountered ØØ by a convert who left his natural surroundings to join a foreign merit compassion from nation. Hashem, and Divine blessings will fall upon us.” These explanations square well with the reason the Torah gives It is difficult to feel love and for the instruction to love the convert: Since you were strangers compassion for the stranger. in the land of Egypt. The Rambam (Aseh 207), by contrast, A person is naturally close notes the respect the convert deserves for the effort he made in to himself, and to those who accepting Hashem’s Torah—something that a Jew by birth did similar to him, such as family not exert. As we will discuss below, he goes so far as to compare and associates. Those who are by nature far, strangers and the love of a ger to love of Hashem Himself. foreigners, do not appeal to In the current article we will reflect on the mitzvah to love the our human instinct of love and convert. What is the nature of this mitzvah of love? Does the compassion. Moreover, the stranger is often mitzvah to love the convert also include an obligation to accept in a position of weakness, and converts? And does the mitzvah give a convert preference in it is the way of the strong to charity donations? These questions, among others, are discussed oppress the weak – as we below. know only too well from our troubled exile among the The Rambam’s Love of the Convert nations. To counter the tendency to In his letter to Obadiah the convert (Shut Harambam 293), dislike and to oppress the the Rambam opens with words of praise that are generally not stranger, the Torah instructs us found in his other writings: “I received the question of the master to love him, and even to ensure Obadiah, the wise and learned convert, may Hashem reward him that we do not oppress him. for his work, may a perfect rec ompense be bestowed upon him The obligation to love the by the G-d of Israel, under whose wings he has sought cover.” stranger is closely related to the concept of achdus, unity. The Rambam was asked by Obadiah if he may say the words, The virtue of unity is of course “the G-d of our fathers” in his prayers, and therefore avoid the contingent on there being shame of being different. The Rambam replied that a convert diversity among particular may use the same text as everyone else. individuals: Without diversity, the achievement of unity is While the Mishnah (Bikkurim 1:4) writes that the convert cannot merely uniformity, which is the use the same liturgy as the born Jew when bringing Bikkurim (a very opposite of unity. ruling also mentioned in the Tosefta 1:2), the Rambam prefers The virtue of unity is thus the ruling of the Yerushalmi (Bikkurim 1:4), which cites rules true only true within a diverse group that includes a range that the convert may mention “our forefathers,” for Avraham of different individuals: When Avinu is the father of all converts. The Rambam rules this in his different people unite under a Mishnah Torah (Bikkurim 4:3), and writes the same answer to single purpose, this is a true Obadiah the convert. achievement of unity. In instructing us to love the After ruling that the convert may pray with the same words as stranger, the Torah brings a Jew by birth, the Rambam concludes with the following: “Do us closer to the unity that not consider your origin infe rior. While we are the descen dants of Avra ham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, you derive from Him through whose word the world was created.” Scripture presents as the In another letter to Obadiah, Rambam reveals the core of our ultimate goal of humanity: The relationship with converts: a relationship of love. He explains unity of different and diverse that the obligation that the Torah has placed upon us concerning groups and individuals under converts is great: “With respect to father and mother, we have the single purpose of serving been commanded to honor and to be in awe, and with respect to Hashem. prophets, to obey them, and it is possible for one to honor, hold Today, there is no shortage in awe, and obey one whom one does not love. But with respect of ‘others’ within any given community. Whatever group we to converts, we have been commanded to love, something which might belong to, we will always is given over to the heart.” He adds that the obligation to love find a wealth of other groups the convert is parallel to the instruction to love Hashem, and and factions, of individuals with adds that even Hashem loves the convert, as it says, “and loves different customs and different the convert, in giving him food and clothing” (Devorim 10:18). outlooks. Whether or not these are the The comparison of love of the convert with the love of Hashem, ‘strangers’ that the Torah which the Rambam repeats elsewhere (see also Hilchos De’os refers to, they are ‘strangers’ 6:4), is striking. What is so special about the love of the convert? to us – and without doubt we Indeed, how is the love of the convert different from the love that are instructed to love them as we are commanded concerning every Jew? neighbors, as ‘strangers,’ or as both. Two Forms of Love If we should still ask: Why is this mitzvah mentioned by Commenting on the mitzvah to “love your neighbor as yourself,” the Torah more than every the Ramban writes that the obligation cannot be understood as other? Perhaps the answer lies literal. It is impossible for a person to love another to the degree in the human achievement of closeness to God Himself. The that he loves himself. Rather, the intention of the instruction is ability to love God, to draw that a person should act towards his fellow with love, just as he close to Him and to cleave acts towards himself: “The instruction of the Torah is to love to Him, is contingent on our one’s fellow in every matter, just as he loves himself with all ability to draw close to and to goodness.” love the stranger. For God, even more than the stranger, The Ramban proceeds to base this understanding on the wording is ‘Other’ to man. of the verse: “It is possible that since the verse says ‘to your It is in this light that Rabbi Akiva neighbor’ (lere’acha) … to make the love of both comparable in taught that the instruction “love his mind.
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